Tag Archives: appearances

Fellaini to provide a silver lining for Everton's season with midfielder set to dye afro for charity

By
Graeme Yorke

PUBLISHED:

16:56 GMT, 25 April 2013

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UPDATED:

16:56 GMT, 25 April 2013

Everton's Champions League hopes may have faded, but star man Marouane Fellaini is set to provide a silver lining to their season.

The Belgium midfielder will dye his hair silver if 25,000 is raised for Everton in the Community – the club's official charity.

Hair-raising: How Fellaini would look if his hair is dyed silver

The presence of the 6ft 4in afroed midfielder has proved frightening enough already for opposition defenders this season, but the sight of his famous curly locks dyed silver will be truly hair-raising.

Fellaini, 25, has made 27 Barclays Premier League appearances for the Toffees this season, scoring 11 goals.

Famous fro: Fellaini is one of the most recognisable stars in the Premier League

Everton currently sit in sixth place in the league with four games remaining – starting at home to Fulham on Saturday.

Their last game of the season is at Chelsea on May 19, so if you want to see Fellaini's afro dyed silver… get donating!

To donate to Everton in the Community visit justgiving.com/fellainifro or text FELI50 and the amount including the sign to 70070.

Race to sign Owen hots up – but it's Strictly and I'm a Celebrity doing battle!

By
Paul Collins

PUBLISHED:

12:27 GMT, 3 April 2013

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UPDATED:

17:12 GMT, 3 April 2013

Michael Owen may have failed his screen test to head BT Sport’s new analysis team — but the BBC and ITV are still in a fight to sign him up.

It has been reported that the Stoke striker, who has recently announced he will retire at the end of the season, is at the centre of TV battle between the makers of Strictly Come Dancing and I’m a Celebrity.

Both networks are apparently trying to sign for the autumn series of both shows.

Dancefloor or jungle How Owen might look on Strictly (left) and I'm a Celebrity

In demand: The clamour to sign up Owen is in full swing

Retiring: The former England striker, now at Stoke, will call it a day next month

Owen is to become a BBC television and radio pundit in his retirement, having made occasional appearances on Match of the Day already this season.

BT Sport, who need a marquee signing from the dressing room to head the analysts team for their Premier League coverage next season, could have been expected to jump at the chance to sign such an illustrious footballer as Owen, whose services have been strongly touted to them.

But the word inside BT headquarters in the Olympic Park is that Owen’s ‘monotone’ displays on the BBC have been considered ‘poor’, although it will help Owen’s Beeb future that their lead presenter Gary Lineker has been supportive.

The first confirmed pundit appointment
for Owen is at Royal Ascot. Racehorse owner and breeder Owen is on a
panel of experts who will be giving tips to the 570-a-head patrons of
the prime Bessborough Restaurant on the Thursday of the Royal meeting in
June.

Owen is also planning to launch a player agency business when he retires from professional football at the end of this season.

Frozen out: Owen has had limited first-team opportunities at Stoke

Stoke City centre forward Owen, who has previously starred for Liverpool, Real Madrid and Manchester United, will hang up his boots at the end of his season, bringing the curtain down on a difficult few years in which he has sustained several serious injuries that have chronically limited his game-time.

In a blog on his website former England man Owen explained: ‘On July 1, I propose to set up Michael Owen Management Ltd. focusing on guiding young players through their careers and offering them advice at every juncture of what can be a career full of pitfalls.’

Sources at Stamford Bridge insisted this morning that the talks were ‘positive’ and the club will formalise the fresh talks with a firm offer.

The precise terms of the new deal for Lampard, 34, have yet to be discussed, but the initial meeting with Chelsea has taken place.

Abramovich, who is in Malaga on business, is aware of the fans’ protests against the decision to release the midfielder after 12 years at the club.

Lampard has scored 10 goals in just 17 Barclays Premier League appearances this season after recovering from injury.

Centre of attention: All eyes have been on Lampard's next move as his Chelsea deal winds down

Goal king: Lampard is on a golden run of goals despite Chelsea's difficult season

He is now second in the list of all-time leading scorers at the club and is just five goals from equalling Bobby Tambling’s record of 202 in a Chelsea shirt.

The midfielder has been one of the club's most consistent players this season and supporters have begged Abramovich to give him a new deal.

Chelsea’s owners is becoming increasingly sensitive about his popularity at the Bridge and is determined to put his club back at the top of European football.

That process began when he changed his mind about Ashley Cole and gave England’s left back a new one year extension to his contract.

Lampard is next in line and talks are expected to resume within the next week after Chelsea made their shock move to keep him. A Chelsea spokesman declined to comment this morning.

Green light: Roman Abramovich has now given the thumbs up to a new deal for Lampard

Although Lampard has consistently told Blues supporters he wants to stay in various interviews, the midfielder believed his career at Stamford Bridge would be over in the summer.

Lampard’s future is time sensitive because he already has a number of offers from other clubs around the world.

Paris Saint-Germain, coached by former Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti, are the latest club to put down a marker for the midfielder.

LA Galaxy, who have offered Lampard a two-and-a-half year deal, are pushing for an answer. The MLS season starts in March, but the player will have commitments with Chelsea until the end of the season and also with England.

Roy Hodgson’s side play a friendly against the Republic of Ireland on May 29 and then travel to Brazil on June 2.

As the next generation of Brazilian players prepare to take on England at Wembley tomorrow night. Sportsmail's writers reveal their favourite Samba stars.

From Pele to Zico; from Ronaldo to Neymar, the South American country has delivered world class players for decades.

Do you agree with our experts Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

GARRINCHA

JEFF POWELL: Garrincha
is the player who most Brazilians regard as being their greatest,
greater than Pele. They have a point. Pele was dynamic but Garrincha was
beautiful to behold, the most exquisite player on the ball and a
goalscorer with flourish as well as power. He was almost impossible to
read on the dribble as a consequence of the rickets which afflicted him
in his impoverished youth and made him virtually double jointed at the
knee. A bon viveur, he used to go back to his home town after Brazil
matches at the Maracana to drink with the boys and kickabout with the
kids. A genius and a true man of the people.

JOHN GREECHAN:
Born crippled and left with one crooked leg even after restorative
surgery, the little winger looked as if he was forever swaying in a
strong breeze. The little footage that survives shows, however, that he
most often left opponents twisting in the wind. Oh, and he was Pele’s
hero. Enough said.

ZICO

MARK ALFORD: What a name, what a player. He floated around the pitch in his sweat-stained golden shirt, socks rolled down to his ankles, spraying passes about like a Latino Glenn Hoddle. He scored 52 goals in 72 international appearances… FROM MIDFIELD! It wouldn’t have been the same if they’d called him by his real name, Arthur. Gooooooooooooal Ziiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiico.

Main man: Zico ran the show from midfield, scoring 52 goals in just 72 internationals for Brazil

LEE CLAYTON: My PE teacher at school – the brilliant and inspiring Phil Rider –
was nicknamed after him (well, he nicknamed himself!). He’d sign the
team sheet ‘Zico’ and seeing as I was usually sub, I was closest to the
‘sign-off’. It was the closest I got to being near Zico. That midfield
of Zico, Socrates and Falcao in 1982 was something magnificent. Roberto
Carlos is another sensation. He redefined playing at left back. I
interviewed Pele once and he was funny, charming and classy. And of the
modern team I like David Luiz. Can I keep going Sorry, I was only meant
to say one: so it’s Zico.

MATT BARLOW: Star of the first Brazilian team to come into my orbit and the
very essence of what Brazilian football seemed to be about: making
passes with the outside of the boot, bending the ball and scoring
sensational free-kicks with a No.10 on his back. That said, my abiding
memory of him is the penalty miss against France in Mexico 86.

PELE

MATT LAWLESS: His four goals at the tail end of 2009-10 season helped West Ham survive in the Premier League but no, Ilan is NOT my all-time favourite Brazilian. That honour goes to the unrivalled legend, Pele. Sadly, I never saw him play in the flesh yet his overhead kick goal in Escape to Victory will live long in my memory. Absolutely Brazil-liant!

JOHN EDWARDS: Ronaldinho, at his peak, was virtually unstoppable, but, overall, it has
to be Pele. Brazil circa 1970 boasted the greatest array of attacking
talent ever assembled, yet they all looked up to him. He was player of
the tournament in that year’s World Cup in Mexico, and he launched an
unsurpassable display of Brazilian brilliance with the opening goal in a
4-1 final win over Italy. As well as being the youngest player to
appear in a World Cup final, when he scored twice in a 5-2 win over
hosts Sweden in 1958 aged 17, he is the only holder of three World Cup
winner’s medals. Immense in every way.

STEVE CURRY: Pele stands out for me as a complete footballer who combined all the
natural gifts that have become associated with Brazilian footballers,
skill, grace, pace, freedom of expression and the ability to score great
goals. He was a wonderful player to watch live with his lithe movement –
a true match winner.

ROMARIO

MIKE ANSTEAD: Now this guy could finish. Toe pokes, curlers, dinks – Romario could do it all. And the ball usually ended up in the back of the net.

At the 1994 World Cup, he was unstoppable. Ronaldo, then a relatively-unknown 17-year-old with a goofy smile, was stuck on the bench watching the master in action as Brazil won the tournament for the first time since 1970.

Ronaldo would eventually take his crown as Brazil’s and Barcelona’s goal king. But Romario motored on, going on to score over 1,000 goals by the end of his career.

CAFU

LUKE BENEDICT: Not because he is the most capped Brazilian of all time, or because he played such a significant role in putting two of the five stars on the iconic shirt, but simply because of the way he controlled a football. With a single shoelace he could stop a spinning bullet and land it on a 5p coin. It was mesmeric.

SAMI MOKBEL: Pioneer of the modern day right-back. As good in the attacking
third as he was in his own box. Changed the conception of what was
needed to be a top-level full-back. Brilliant player.

Marauding: Cafu is the most capped Brazilian of all time and appeared in three World Cup finals, winning two

RONALDO

PHIL GRADWELL: The original Ronaldo. The Nineties version was one of the best strikers of all time, combining frightening speed with a superb touch, immense power and the ability to score from all angles. This was best exemplified by his goal for Barcelona v Compostela in 1996, where he ran 60 yards, beat half the opposition and scored. The scorer of the most World Cup goals (15), even when his weight started becoming an issue he could still produce performances like the one for Real Madrid at Old Trafford in 2003. There’s only one Ronaldo…

ALEX HORLOCK: The first player who I was truly enamoured by as a child was a young striker who led the line for Barcelona back in 1996. Ronaldo was a colossus up front for a number of other clubs – and, of course, his country – but as an eight-year-old boy I was fascinated by the unstoppable striker who terrorised defences time and again. He was strong, quick, immensely skilful, a clinical finisher and his legs were the size of tree trunks. What more could you want

ROBERTO CARLOS

ADAM SHERGOLD: Everyone remembers the first time they saw that brilliant flash of Brazilian yellow – whether in person or on their TV screens. For me, it was that physics-defying free-kick of the millennium by Roberto Carlos against France at Le Tournoi in 1997.

Surely it was impossible to generate such a shot of such bend and strength to locate the net like a laser-guided missile – but Carlos managed it. He was also a player who redefined his role on the pitch – talk about defenders as frustrated strikers!

RIK SHARMA: Not as technically talented as some of the greatest Samba stars, but so unequivocally Brazilian in his willingness to attack. The former Real Madrid star was renowned for his thunderbolt shooting which, as well as worrying goalkeepers in real life, terrified my brother during countless football videogame sessions.

KAKA

ANDREW MAGEE: Fewer tricks and flicks than your typical Brazilian but still immaculate on the ball. His destruction of Man Utd in the Champions League semi final in 2007 sticks out, a potent combination of lethal finishing and graceful playmaking. He doesn’t run, he glides. Don’t believe me See his wonderful solo goal against Argentina where he even outpaces the great Lionel Messi.

NEYMAR

BRIAN LEE: It feels wrong going for any player other than Ronaldo but for me it’s Neymar. With his ridiculous hair and socks pulled up far too high it should be easy to dislike him but I’ve watched him live and have never seen quicker feet. There’s one goal on YouTube (against Flamengo and winner of the Puskas Award for 2011) that has everything. Pace, powerful running and a brilliant one-two. I’ve played it, slowed down, again and again and I’m still as confused as the defender he waltzed past before finishing.

JOSE LEANDRO FERREIRA

IAN LADYMAN: The team that Brazil took to the 1982 World Cup in Spain was the first that I really remember. I was 12 at the time and was captivated by the way they played the game. I was a right-back for my school team at the time – we won ONCE in five years – and decided I would model myself on the defender they called Leandro. Full of attacking intent, he spent more time in the opposition half than he did in his own and at times seemed to simply play as a second right winger. My PE teacher didn’t appreciate it when I tried to do the same. Leandro only played for one team – Flamengo – in a 12-year domestic career. I also only played for one team. For different reasons.

JUNINHO

COLIN YOUNG: Having watched him transform a small town and club and establish himself as Middlesbrough’s greatest ever player I’m going to say Juninho. He was quite simply a genius and absolute joy to watch.

JOSIMAR

DOMINIC KING: The 1986 World Cup is the first major tournament I really remember vividly. Mexico may have ended up belonging to Diego Maradona but, before the World Cup began, my Dad told me to make sure I watched Brazil when I could. The first game was against Northern Ireland and Josimar, making his debut at right-back, scored with an outrageous strike against Northern Ireland. He was the first Brazilian to grab my attention, so gets the vote.

Ferguson to send Petrucci and Wootton to Posh (to help his son avoid relegation)

season, and has
also had temporary spells at Tranmere Rovers and Nottingham Forest.

Wootton has made four first-team
appearances at Old Trafford this season – in the Capital One Cup matches
against Newcastle United and Chelsea, and the two Champions League
group stage games with Cluj.

Wootton was also wanted by Bristol
City, Birmingham and Blackburn, according to reports. He is also
reportedly in talks over a new two-year contract at United.

Time to help my son: Ferguson will send Petrucci and Wootton to Peterborough

Cheers dad: Peterborough are 21st in the Championship and in danger of relegation to the third tier

Italian-born Petrucci, 21, was acquired from Roma in July 2008 but the midfielder saw his first-team breakthrough delayed by a succession of injuries.

He is currently the captain of United's reserves and would gain from first team experience at Peterborough as he pushes for a senior debut at old Trafford next season.

Currently, he is best known for being punched by Nani in a bust-up at United's Carrington training ground.

Tottenham have completed the signing of former Manchester United starlet Zeki Fryers.

The 20-year-old left-back trained with Spurs in the summer after leaving Old Trafford.

A Spurs statement read: 'We are delighted to announce that we have reached agreement with Standard Liege for the signing of Zeki Fryers.

On his way back: Zeki Fryers (left) returns to England from Belgium

'The young defender, capped by England
at Under-16, 17 and 19 level, began his career at Manchester United
before joining Standard Liege last summer. Zeki will link up with the
Club's Development Squad.

He was expected to join the White Hart Lane club but United could have commanded up to 6m compensation as he was under 23.

Belgian side Standard Liege signed him instead on a two year contract and he has gone on to make seven first team appearances.

However, Tottenham are expecting to sell Gareth Bale to Real Madrid in the summer and want cover for Benoit Assou-Ekotto. Liege would sell now and a deal could be done for around 3million.

Fryers was close to joining Tottenham last year but the move collapsed

Tottenham are also the latest club to show interest in Barcelona striker David Villa. The 31-year-old has been the subject of enquiries from Arsenal also but Barca will not loan him out and will only sell for around 16m.

Meanwhile, Fenerbahce have made a move for Tottenham midfield target Younes Belhanda at Montpellier.

Benayoun set for Chelsea return after revealing that loan deal with West Ham will not be renewed

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UPDATED:

18:39 GMT, 27 December 2012

Injury-hit: Benayoun has made just four Premier League appearances in his loan spell

Yossi Benayoun is set to return to Chelsea when his loan at West Ham expires next week.

The Israeli attacking midfielder signed up for a second stint at Upton Park in the summer with an option to extend his deal in January should all parties agree to do so.

But the 32-year-old ex-Liverpool man revealed on Twitter that he has played his last game of his current loan spell at Sam Allardyce's side.

‘Recovering slowly from the injury..loan with west ham will be finish in few days so disappointed that I didn’t took part in the last games,’ he tweeted.

Benayoun established himself as a crowd favourite at West Ham between 2005 and 2007 after scoring eight times in 63 games, but he has managed just four league games in an injury-hit second spell at the club.

Flag flies at half mast at Gloucester as club mourns legendary captain Nicholls

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UPDATED:

16:19 GMT, 24 December 2012

Former Gloucester captain Mike Nicholls has died, the club have announced.

Nicholls made 483 first team appearances for the Cherry and Whites in a career that spanned 17 years, lifting the club's first trophy after a 17-6 victory over Moseley in the final of the 1972 national cup.

Following his retirement as a player, Nicholls served the club as a coach and a member of the committee.

Legend: Former Gloucester captain Mike Nicholls has died

A statement on the club website said: 'Everyone at Gloucester Rugby is saddened to hear of the passing of former captain, and one of the true legends of the club, Mike Nicholls.

'Out of respect for Mike, the Gloucester Rugby flag at Kingsholm is flying at half mast today, and will do so until after the funeral, details of which will be communicated in due course.

'A player who led from the front, the long serving hooker captained Gloucester for three seasons, 1970-71, 1971-72 and then again 1973-74.

'Under his captaincy the team were a formidable unit, not always pretty to watch but very effective.

'Under Mike Nicholls' inspiring leadership the team consistently turned on performances on the big occasions.

'Mike's career was at a pinnacle in the club's centenary season of 1973-74 when his team recorded a club record of 39 wins and scored 1000 points. Their 24-14 win against an International XV in the centenary match is remembered by all who were there.

'The Gloucester playing record during the three years of his captaincy speaks for itself: P154 W107 L35 D9. He is regarded as one of the finest captains the club has known.

Former Premier League forward Peter Ndlovu was in a Bulawayo hospital with serious injuries on Sunday night after a car crash which claimed the life of his brother and fellow Zimbabwe footballer Adam.

Peter Ndlovu, 39, had playing spells in England with Coventry, for whom he starred in the top flight, plus Birmingham, Huddersfield and Sheffield United, before returning to African club football in 2004.

The crash that caused his brother's death occurred late last night. The skilful attacker left Highlanders in his homeland to join Coventry in 1991, and stayed at Highfield Road until 1997.

Horror: The smashed-up BMW X5 on the side of the road that was reportedly driven by Adam Ndlovu

A statement from the club, now in
npower League One, read: 'Coventry City Football Club is saddened to
hear of a tragic road accident in Zimbabwe that has left former striker
Peter Ndlovu in a critical condition and claimed the life of his brother
Adam.

'It has been reported that both were
travelling from an away match between Chicken Inn FC and a local side
when Ndlovu's car suffered a tyre blow-out which caused the car to veer
off the road 20 kilometres outside Victoria Falls.

'Ndlovu achieved iconic status during
his six years with the Sky Blues where he netted 39 goals in 176
(league) appearances for the club.

'Coventry City sends its best wishes and condolences to the Ndlovu family who will be in our thoughts.'

Zimbabwean media carried pictures of a
severely damaged car, reported to have been the vehicle carrying the
Ndlovu brothers home from a football match.

A spokeswoman for the Mater Dei
Hospital in Bulawayo, where Peter Ndlovu was being treated, said she
could offer no details of his condition, following reports he had broken
both legs.

Hero: Peter Ndlovu starred for Coventry (left) in the Premier League before joining Birmingham

Ndlovu's former agent Winston
Makamure told BBC Sport: 'Peter is now out of danger. He is now
conscious and is communicating. 'He has internal injuries, head
injuries, broken ribs and a broken leg.'

Adam Ndlovu, who was 42 years old,
also began his playing career with Highlanders before moving to Europe,
in his case spending seven years in Switzerland between 1994 and 2001,
culminating in a spell with FC Zurich.

Peter Ndlovu's second club in
England was Championship side Birmingham, who released a statement which
read: 'The thoughts of everyone associated with Birmingham City
Football Club are with Peter Ndlovu and his family following news of a
serious car crash in Zimbabwe.

'Peter was a very popular player during his time at St Andrew's and we hope he pulls through this difficult time.'

Tragedy: Adam Ndlovu – who played for Zimbabwe – died in the car crash

Ndlovu made 137 appearances and
netted 28 times in all competitions for the Blues. He joined
Huddersfield on loan over the winter of 2000-01, scoring four goals in
six games for the Yorkshire club, and left Birmingham on a permanent
basis in February 2001 when he joined Sheffield United on a free.

He played 154 times for the Bramall
Lane club, scoring 29 goals, and left them in July 2004 when he returned
to African club football.

The Blades released a statement on
their official Twitter feed which read: 'Our thoughts are with former
player Peter Ndlovu, who has been critically injured in a car accident
in his native Zimbabwe.'

Peter Ndlovu was capped 100 times by
Zimbabwe, and his country's Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, sent his
condolences to the family via his official Twitter account.

'I am deeply saddened at the passing
on of soccer legend, Adam Ndlovu, who was taken away from us in the
horror crash that left his young brother, Peter, in hospital,'
Tsvangirai said.

'I wish Peter a speedy recovery.
'Adam and Peter were part of our national football Dream Team in the
1990s and have continued to impart their skills to other young
Zimbabwean footballers. They have made a significant contribution to
culture in Zimbabwe.

'My prayers are with the Ndlovu
family, the football fraternity and the nation at this sad loss. 'On
behalf of my Office, my family and on my own behalf, I join with so many
others who knew Adam, in offering our deepest sympathy on his passing.'

VIDEO: A classic Peter Ndlovu goal from 1995 – a contender for MOTD goal of the season…